Towel holder



, I A. F. GILLET TowEL HOLDER Sept. 3, 1:929.

' Filed Nov. 12. 1928 Smaentor I gu A.F.Gzllet I I ;1' z attorneg Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,727,Ztt

PATENT QFFlCE.

ALEXIS F. GILLET, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE J'UBILEE MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, A GORPORATION OF NEBRASKA.

TOWEL HOLDER.

Application filed November The present invention relates to improvements in towel holders, an-d has for an object to provide an improved holder whereby towels, while being reliably suspended from the device against accidental falling, may be removed without difticulty or the tearing of the I of sheet metal or other appropriate material,

same.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved towel holder in which the towel may be quickly and positively released from its caught position in the holder.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an improved towel holder in whlch a manual release of the towel is alforded whereby to completely free the towel prior to the act of pulling it from a holder to avoid any damage to either the towel or the holderr and to prevent jamming of the parts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved towel holder in which the parts are constructed for simple and inexpensive manufacture, while preserving the necessary strength and -durability of the devlce.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved towel holder of attracf tive appearance and of a compact structure which may be positioned upon a wall in place for convenient use without becoming an obstruction in the room in which it is placed.

l/Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved towel holder constructed according to the present invention with a towel in place therein, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken centrally through the device with the open position, indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken centrally through a looking lever employed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 10 designates a plate adapted to be placed against a wall or like support and having a tang 11, perforated as in-dicated at 12 to receive anail or other fastening driven into the wall by which the towel holder is supported. An arm 13 projects outwardly and down- 12, 1928. sei-mi No. 313,975.

wardly into substantial parallelism with the plate 10 and has its upper portion fitted against the plate and secured thereto as by the tabs 111 inserted through the plate and clinched over behind the same. Both the plate and the arm may be made attractively the arm 13 being hollow and formed with right angularly disposed walls 20 which reinforce and strengthens the arm, and also provide bearings for the pivot pin 15, which is carried by the lower free end of the arm. Pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 15 is a locking lever 16 which may also be formed of sheet metal or other appropriate material having upwardly turned perforated ears 21 on the intermediate part of the lever for engaging about the pivot pin 15, whereby the lever is swingingly supported.

These ears 21 may be substantially circular in form and a portion 22 of the lever joining with the ears 21 partakes of a semi-circular form indicated in Figure 2. Adjacent this downwardly convex portion 22 is an upwardly convex portion 23 extending off substantially radiallyr from the ears 21 and forming a substantial S-shape Construction With the part 22 as seen in cross section. A further downwardly bent convex portion 2d is provided in the lever eXtending from the` part 23 in order to allow an elongated bearing surface portion 25 for gripping the towel 18. This portion 25 is of a generally curved form, being convex toward the towel and plate 10 and at an intermediate portion thereof it is formed with a pressed-out boss or cam 17 adapted to bite against the towel 18 and to jam the towel against the plate 10.

The free end portion 26' of the lever coming oif the towel holding portion 25 is bent downwardly and outwardly at an angle from the portion 25 to reinforce and stifien the portion 25 and to constitute a stop which Will engage the inner side of the arm 13, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2. The opposite free endportion of the lever is extended outwardly from the arm 13 and below the same and substantially radially from the ears 21 to provide a finger engaging tab by which the device may be released.

In the operation of the device, assuming that the towel holder is suspended upon a wall, the towel 18 is simply shoved up between the plate 10 and the lever 16, the lever being displaced upwardly about its pivotal connection 15 by engagement of the toWel. Upon release of the toWel, both the towel and the preponderant inner portion of the lever Will tend to descend by gravity and by the engagement of the toWel with the lever, Whereby the lever Will descend to the position, shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2, thus exerting a binding action on the toWel against the plate 10 and serving to releasably yet firmly hold the towel in place. As the material of the lever Will possess a certain inherent resiliency, the boss 17 Will exert a cam-like action forcibly holding the towel but against damage thereto. In order to remove the towel, the Operator depresses the tab 19 by the use of the linger, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, thus causing the inner portion of the lever to swing upwardly and Within the hollow arm until arrested by the engagement of the stop 26 With said arm. The toWel may be grasped in the other hand as it falls upon release from the holder.

It Will be appreciated that With the use of the improved device, that the towel may be f' quickly removed by the Operator, that during its suspension in the holder, it Will be secured tightly and reliably, yet Without doing any injury to the fabric of the towel and that the releasing of the towel Will be carried out Without any tearing or other injury to the same.

The looking lever 16 may be provided With teeth 17' in lieu of the boss 17, if desired, in instances When the device is employed With coarse towels having a heavy matted nap.

'Also the teeth 17' may be formed upon the boss 17 as shown in the drawings, if desired for facilitating the suspension of various types of toWels.

I do not Wish to be restricted to the size, form, and proportions of the various parts, and obviously changes could' be made in the Construction herein described Without departing from the spirit of the invention, it being only necessary that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

WVhat is claimed is 1. An improved toWel holder comprising a plate, a holloW arm carried by the plate and extending outwardly and doWnWardly therefrom, a looking lever pivoted in the lower free end of the arm and having a yieldable portion for binding the towel against the plate, an operating portion, and a yieldable stop for entering the holloW arm and engaging the holloW arm in the released position of the lever.

2. An improved toWel holder comprising a plate, a hollow arm attached to the plate and extending outwardly and doWnwardly from the same, said arm having side Walls but being open at its inner and loWer portion, a looking lever pivoted in the loWer portion of the arm, and adapted to swing between said side Walls, said locking lever having a yieldable cam portion for binding the towel against the plate and having an operating part for releasing the lever.

3. An improved toWel holder comprising a plate, an arm carried by the plate, a pivot pin in the arm, a looking lever having perforated upstanding ears pivotally mounted on the pivot pin and having a doWnWardly convex portion adjoining ears With upstanding and downwardly suecesive bovved portions eX- tending from the ears toward the plate, a tab extending outwardly from the convex port-ion,

a fiexible binding portionof great area extending from the innermost boWed portion, and a stop extendingangularly from the fleXible binding portion.

In testimony Whereof, I have aflixed my signature.

ALEXIS F. GILLET. 

